We bought 10 acres about 10 hours from where we live and are planning to build a 40x68 shop/house combination on it. I plan to build a 12’ deep by 32’ wide porch (with concrete floor) onto the side. I grill and smoke multiple times per week, and I am concerned about the smoke buildup under the roof. I thought about a roof vent fan on a switch. Maybe a vented ridge cap? Any input?
The picture is to give you a rough idea of what I am talking about.
Cheap CharGriller Offset
22" Coleman Kettle
Traeger Tailgater
Jackson Grills Luxe 580 Gas Grill
Weber Q2200 Portable Gas Grill
Some other no name portable gas grill.
Smoke X4 with Billows
Classic Thermapen
Thermopop
Dreams/Future Purchases:
The Good One Open Range (or build something similar)
Grilla Grills - Grilla
If not cooking outdoors, I am cooking on the stovetop with my 14" carbon steel wok, 12" CI skillet, or in the oven with my two Lodge CI pizza pans, or two dutch ovens. I've also got a nifty Lodge carbon steel grill pan that rocks for veggies outdoors.
Looks like a great plan - congrats on the new land and homestead!
I can comment slightly from the fact that I have a 12x21 pavilion (metal roof) that I have been known to roll either the kamado or the flat top up under during inclement weather. For most of one year, one or the other lived under the pavilion.
While I have not noticed discoloration on the underside of the metal roof, which is white, what I have noticed is that I have two ceiling fans hanging under there, and the one at the end where I bring the kamado or flat top for use has gunk built up on all the blades, from the fan running while I was smoking or grilling. I think its grease build up from the smoke, and then dust sticks to the grease... you get the picture. I do have a ridge vent out there, and the ends of the "A" are open at either end of the pavilion, versus closed like is shown for porch in your drawing.
If your cookers are portable or on wheels, my advice is to pour the slab at least 4 feet deeper on the side where you plan for those to live, so that you can just get out from under the cover in good weather. If they don't move, or you are doing a kitchen build of some sort, then your idea for a vent or hood has some merit. Or just live with it. A ridge vent should help. Or a fan hanging that can blow smoke out the side/back.
I will say that I see more smoke billowing out the two ends at the peak, than I notice coming through the metal roof's ridge cap in the middle. As someone else said while I was typing this, with the end closed in, I don't think the ridge vent alone will keep the roof area from being full of smoke.
Like I said, I don't notice anything on the roof, and I think if the fan had not been running in the summer during cooks, the fan blades at that end would not look all gunked up. It's all been in place since May 2017, so its 7 years of smoke and grease accumulated at this point, and not THAT noticeable except to me. I may pull the blades off the fan this spring/summer and give them a wash. The blades on these outdoor rated ceiling fans are plastic.
You are building new, and so have a lot of choices. I would make the area as comfortable as you want it, including putting the cooking area under roof, out of the sun and rain. You can vent anything for a price.
Here is a good article on venting for outside areas.
Wondering whether you need a vent hood in your covered outdoor kitchen? HL Posey Builders breaks down how BBQ smoke behaves outdoors and helps you decide if a vent hood is right for your setup.
Sorry, no wise advice on venting your cooking area. Just wanted to say congratulations on the acquisition of the new property. May y’all enjoy many happy years there.
Comment